Richard Fleming
Encyclopedia
Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincoln
and founder of Lincoln College, Oxford
, was born at Crofton
in Yorkshire
.
Fleming was descended from a gentry family, and was educated at University College, Oxford
. Having taken his degrees, he was made prebendary of York
in 1406, and the next year was junior proctor of the university. In 1409 he was appointed to the committee of twelve censors who were commissioned to examine the writings of John Wyclif and determine the heretical ideas they contained. Later that year he was accused of supporting some of Wyclif's errors in a public disputation, for which he incurred the censure of Archbishop Arundel
. Fleming must have either been exonerated or renounced his supposed heresy because he was still a member of the committee of censors when its list of Wycliffe's errors was published in 1411.
Before 1415 Fleming was instituted to the rectory of Boston in Lincolnshire
. He attended the Council of Constance
from late 1416 to early 1418 where he delivered a number of sermons which survive, all of which reveal a strong concern for clerical reform. He was nominated to the see of Lincoln by papal provision on 20 November 1419 and on 28 April 1420 he was consecrated as bishop of Lincoln by Martin V in Florence. He attended the Council of Pavia and Siena
in 1428-1429 and, in the presence of the pope, reportedly made an eloquent speech in vindication of the rights of the English "nation" and in support of papal authority against the more radical proponents of conciliarism
; this sermon apparently does not survive. It was probably on this occasion that he was named chamberlain to the pope.
In February 1424 the see of York
being vacant, the pope conferred it on Fleming; but the regency council of the young king Henry VI
refused to confirm the appointment, and Fleming resigned the appointment in July 1425. In 1427, Fleming obtained a royal licence empowering him to found a college at Oxford for the special purpose of training theologians to combat Wyclif's heresy
. To Bishop Fleming was entrusted the execution of the decree of the Council of Constance for the exhumation and burning of Wycliffe's remains, though Fleming delayed fulfilling this duty for over a decade. He died at Sleaford
, Lincolnshire, in January 1431. Although his foundation of Lincoln College, Oxford
was incomplete at the time of his death, the college's future was eventually secured and Fleming's manuscript books became the core collection of the collegiate library.
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
and founder of Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
, was born at Crofton
Crofton, West Yorkshire
Crofton is a village near Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is located roughly to the south east of the city and is roughly to the west of the town of Pontefract and from the town of Featherstone.-History:...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
Fleming was descended from a gentry family, and was educated at University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
. Having taken his degrees, he was made prebendary of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
in 1406, and the next year was junior proctor of the university. In 1409 he was appointed to the committee of twelve censors who were commissioned to examine the writings of John Wyclif and determine the heretical ideas they contained. Later that year he was accused of supporting some of Wyclif's errors in a public disputation, for which he incurred the censure of Archbishop Arundel
Thomas Arundel
Thomas Arundel was Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397 and from 1399 until his death, an outspoken opponent of the Lollards.-Family background:...
. Fleming must have either been exonerated or renounced his supposed heresy because he was still a member of the committee of censors when its list of Wycliffe's errors was published in 1411.
Before 1415 Fleming was instituted to the rectory of Boston in Lincolnshire
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
. He attended the Council of Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
from late 1416 to early 1418 where he delivered a number of sermons which survive, all of which reveal a strong concern for clerical reform. He was nominated to the see of Lincoln by papal provision on 20 November 1419 and on 28 April 1420 he was consecrated as bishop of Lincoln by Martin V in Florence. He attended the Council of Pavia and Siena
Council of Siena
In the Catholic Church, the Council of Siena marked a somewhat inconclusive stage in the Conciliar movement that was attempting reforms in the Church. If it had continued, it would have qualified as an ecumenical council...
in 1428-1429 and, in the presence of the pope, reportedly made an eloquent speech in vindication of the rights of the English "nation" and in support of papal authority against the more radical proponents of conciliarism
Conciliarism
Conciliarism, or the conciliar movement, was a reform movement in the 14th, 15th and 16th century Roman Catholic Church which held that final authority in spiritual matters resided with the Roman Church as a corporation of Christians, embodied by a general church council, not with the pope...
; this sermon apparently does not survive. It was probably on this occasion that he was named chamberlain to the pope.
In February 1424 the see of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
being vacant, the pope conferred it on Fleming; but the regency council of the young king Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
refused to confirm the appointment, and Fleming resigned the appointment in July 1425. In 1427, Fleming obtained a royal licence empowering him to found a college at Oxford for the special purpose of training theologians to combat Wyclif's heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
. To Bishop Fleming was entrusted the execution of the decree of the Council of Constance for the exhumation and burning of Wycliffe's remains, though Fleming delayed fulfilling this duty for over a decade. He died at Sleaford
Sleaford
Sleaford is a town in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located thirteen miles northeast of Grantham, seventeen miles west of Boston, and nineteen miles south of Lincoln, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time...
, Lincolnshire, in January 1431. Although his foundation of Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
was incomplete at the time of his death, the college's future was eventually secured and Fleming's manuscript books became the core collection of the collegiate library.
Further reading
- Nighman, Chris L. "Citations of 'noster' John Pecham in Richard Fleming's sermon for Trinity Sunday: evidence for the political use of liturgical music at the Council of Constance," Medieval Sermon Studies 52 (2008), 31-41.
- Nighman, Chris L. "Prudencia, plague and the pulpit: Richard Fleming’s eulogy for Robert Hallum at the Council of Constance," Annuarium Historiae Conciliorum 38.1 (2006), 83-98.
- Nighman, Chris L. "Rhetorical self-construction and its political context in Richard Fleming's reform sermon for Passion Sunday at the Council of Constance," Annuarium Historiae Conciliorum 33.2 (2001), 405-25.
- Nighman, Chris L. "'Accipiant qui vocati sunt': Richard Fleming’s reform sermon at the Council of Constance," Journal of Ecclesiastical History 51.1 (Jan. 2000), 1-36.
- Nighman, Chris L. "Another look at the English staging of an Epiphany play at the Council of Constance," Records of Early English Drama 22.2 (1997), 11-18.
- Nighman, Chris L. "Reform and Humanism in the Sermons of Richard Fleming at the Council of Constance (1417)," University of Toronto PhD thesis, 1996.